Featured Strange Musical Instrument

My brother bought this a few weeks ago (UK) and we're both stumped as to what it is... we've both exhausted our web searches - zithers, harps, qis, etc. etc. etc.
It's double-sided with 24 strings on each side.
There are no markings or labels.
Any ideas, anyone?
Thank you!

 

nice !, looking into it, a guzheng seems to match the instrument set up.
couldn't find a double sided 24 string though, so this might be a custom instrument

 

Did you try a guzheng?

Debora

 

It looks like modern construction, so may not be identifiable as a strictly traditional instrument. With strings and a bridge on both sides, it would have to be played upright like a harp, unlike a guzheng. Or it might be reversible like the combination instrument Roaring shows. Is there any evidence of another leg/support anywhere?

https://weplaywelltogether.com/prod...instruments-in-one-tanpura-koto-and-monochord

Using terms like upright double strung box harp, the only reasonable comparison I found was an "arpanetta", an instrument from the baroque period in Europe. It had sets of strings on either side of a sound box -



https://www.theharpconsort.com/arpanetta

The hardware used, and the acanthus leaf carving on the sides, may suggest a European origin rather than Asian.

 

Thank you for the responses.
I had looked at guzhengs but couldn't see any double-sided ones.
And monochords - though none with the full-width bridge, those with multiple strings seem to have individual small bridges?
2manybooks - I shall ask my brother if there is any evidence of another support. I thought the carvings looked Indian.

 

In my musical searching I did, however, find a really big bass -

https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2015/06/octobass-feature

 

ahh, so watching roarings 1st video, both sides are there for playing at the same time in unison, one side where the strings are played all together, the other side for individual stings to be picked

but its hard to nail down a specific name as there as so many variations of each type, especially with that string number the same on each side

i did stumble across a didgeridoo combo which is interesting

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/KES3Wg46FnA?feature=share

 

Could it be a hammered dulcimer?

 

It could possibly be played with hammers like a hammered dulcimer; but in the US and most other countries, hammered dulcimers are trapezoid-shaped, not rectangular; and I've never heard of one being two-sided.
And Roaring20s examples have a totally different bridge arrangement, and bridge arrangement is pretty important in classifying instruments.
I'm at a loss, have never seen anything similar, and am not familiar with any ethnic instruments with a two-sided set-up.
(There was in the US many years ago a company that made a few double-sided instruments the size of a ukulele, where each side had a fingerboard, bridge, strings, and sound-hole. One side set up like a uke, the other like a mandolin. Just flip it over to change instruments...however, both sounded terrible, and it was darned hard to play,)

 

i'd love one of them , but like you say, your probably gonna end up getting 2 bad instruments in one

 

Maybe you're only supposed to play one set of strings at any one time. They may have different qualities, tunings etc. A bit like slash on a double neck gibbo

 

No, you wouldn't be able to see what you're hammering at with it being double-sided.

 

Thank you for your comments, yes, it's the full-width bridge/s that are the sticking point.

 

are they at the same positions on both sides ?

 

I shall ask him - it looks like it in the photos.

 

Answers from brother:
"The strings are all the same gauge but are tuned at different tones in pairs(at the moment) don’t know how to tune it though. The bridges are opposite on each side and there are two feet so it would be played in the upright position."

And a photo of each side:

 

that makes sense that its supposed to be played upright with both sides at the same time, bridge mirrored(different) for both right and left hand

stumped though on what it is

gotta be either a guzheng or a monochord

guzheng seems to fit it best with that full midline staggered bridge

 

I think it could be a Javanese 'siter'.
I haven't been able to find photos of the double-sided siter, but it is mentioned on this page on Gamelan instruments:

https://vetter.sites.grinnell.edu/gamelan/siter/

The bridge and the carving alerted me to the possibility of Java/Madura. Indonesian zithers have a long bridge, and are often decorated with traditional floral scroll carvings called 'kembang Djawa' or 'kembang Madura'.

Below is a photo of another Javanese/Madurese zither-like instrument, the 'celempung', with the same bridge and the classic 'kembang Djawa' carving, although not very recognizable:


https://www.gamelanhuis.nl/java_gamelan/

An example of traditional floral scroll carving on the lower part of a Madurese keris sheath, in this case 'kembang Madura':



The ship is also covered with scroll carving (and the Madurese winged horse Si Megantoro), but that is too abundant to see any resemblance with the carving on OPs instrument. The Madurese love intricate carving.

 

Following up on Any's insight, this looks right, with bridge and strings on both sides -
https://www.tokopedia.com/airwinsho...oogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=pdp-seo